John Robert Clarke

John Robert Clarke, 65, of Blackfoot, passed away August 12, 2010 at his home.

He was born November 21, 1944 to John L. and Fay C. Clarke in Rexburg, Idaho.  He attended school there and graduated from Madison High School in 1963.

He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Uruguay. 

In 1967 he married Anne Bird in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.  They later divorced.

He graduated from Ricks College and BYU with a degree in Sociology.  He then served two years in the United States Coast Guard.

In 1980 he married Collette Harris.

He owned his own house painting company for many years and then worked for Salt Lake County as an appraiser.  In 1985 they moved to Ketchikan, Alaska where he worked for the Gateway Borough for six years.  While living in Alaska he enjoyed fishing on the ocean and the nature of the beautiful land.  In 1992 he began working for Bingham County as an appraiser, he became Chief Appraiser and was known at the court house as the prankster and created an environment of family.  He retired in November of 2009.

He will be missed greatly by his wife, Collette, who thanks him for asking her to be his wife 30 years ago, his four sons, Mike (Lisa) of Provo, Utah; Dave (Melanie) of West Jordan, Utah; Yancey (Anita) and Jon both of Centralia, Washington; as well as his six grandchildren, Mike, Jay, Kyle, Steven, Caitlin and Bret, two sisters, Ann (Pete) Thompson and Renee Scott both of Rexburg.  He has many adopted grandchildren, Dilcia and her crew at the Blackfoot McDonalds, where he was known for years as grandpa.

The family thanks Ron Simmons and his crew at the court house for all their love and support, the Blackfoot Police Department, Portneuf Cancer Center, and Creekside Hospice.

John had a love for nature as well as all creatures.  His greatest love was being a husband and dad.  His love of literature lead him to Henry David Thoreau which taught him his favorite saying, “Simplify.”  Dad found the greatest pleasures in the simple things of life.

Graveside services will be 12:00 Noon Tuesday August 17, 2010 at the Rexburg Cemetery with military rites by David B. Bleak Post 93 of Shelley. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6:30 till 8:00 P.M. at the Blackfoot Fourth Ward Building, 520 North Shilling Avenue.